The work supported by this grant has focused on two aspects of the development of social cognition -- the conception of excuses or reasons affecting the evaluation of transgression or free action and the development of conceptions of social class. During 1977-1978 three studies will be undertaken: First, a study of the use of information in judging kind or altruistic acts, focusing on a theory of the development of distributive justice conceptions in children and adolescents; Second, a study of developmental changes in the use of information in self-perception of kindness and the perception of kindness and others; Third, a comparison of different social class and racial groups in their conceptions of social class. These studies are guided by an eclectic approach to social cognition, drawing upon the work of Piaget, theory of jurisprudence in the criminal law, attribution theory and political socialization law, attribution theory and political socialization to legitimacy. BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES: Kimball, B. and Leahy, R.L. Fear of success in males and females: Effects of developmental level and sex-linked course of study. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research, 1976, 2, 273-281. Leahy, R.L. The development of preferences and processes of visual scanning in the human infant during the first three months of life. Developmental Psychology, 1976, 12, 250-254.